Northeast Christian Podcast

Your challenge this summer is to get in shape spiritually, mentally, and physically. Want to learn more about the Summer 60 Challenge? Visit https://necchurch.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2336562.

This weekend, Tyler continued in our series “How to Survive an Election Year”, focusing on how political disagreements have affected friendships, families, and church dynamics, urging a return to unity under Christian values. Politics and personal relationships can be tricky, but this message encourages Christians to prioritize their faith and unity in Christ over political affiliations. By doing so, the church can maintain its unity and purpose despite the political turbulence. The call to action is clear: Christians should engage in politics without losing sight of their spiritual mission and shared identity in Christ. Through worship, mission work, and personal healing, the church can remain a united and strong witness to the world.

The sermon encourages Christians to ground their political conversations and positions in the word of God. It references Philippians 1:27-30 as a guiding passage, urging believers to live as citizens of heaven, standing together in one spirit and purpose. This week, Tyler urged us as Christians to engage in politics with a measured allegiance to human government, a legal responsibility to love neighbor, an unwavering belief in human dignity, a realistic assessment of human depravity, an uncompromising moral compass, and a fearless hope in Jesus. Emphasizing the need for prayer, revival, and a transformative approach to political engagement that reflects the values of the Kingdom of God. Survival Guide 2024 “Above all, [we will] live as citizens of heaven, conducting [ourselves] in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.” Philippians 1:27-30 Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.

This week, Terrence wrapped up week 3 of the “How to be a Witness” series, urging us to accept the call to be prepared witnesses for Jesus, ready to speak boldly wherever we are placed. “Accept the call to be a prepared witness for Jesus.... willing to use words…right where God has you.” As Christians, we are called to embody two essential roles: * Evangelist: Those who share the good news of Jesus and the Christian faith. * Apologist: Those who defend and explain the truth of Jesus and the Christian faith. When we defend and explain the truth of the Christian faith, remember that our posture matters because we are sharing "good news." Ask yourself if you are abiding in Christ before you speak, be intent on listening, and know your story. You can always use Terrence's C.S.I. method—calm conversation, simple questions, and in-context scriptures—to help you through difficult conversations. Through prayer, understanding, and practical application, the church can fulfill its mission to make disciples of all nations. Terrence recommended other resources to help us better understand how to witness effectively. You can find it here:  https://www.necchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/How-to-be-a-witmess-week-3-slidespdf.pdf

This week, Terrence continued with week 2 of the “How to be a Witness” series, urging us to accept the call to be prepared witnesses for Jesus, ready to speak boldly wherever we are placed. “Accept the call to be a prepared witness for Jesus.... willing to use words…right where God has you.” As Christians, we are called to embody two essential roles: * Evangelist: Those who share the good news of Jesus and the Christian faith. * Apologist: Those who defend and explain the truth of Jesus and the Christian faith. These roles are crucial for addressing questions and misconceptions about Christianity. The call to be a witness for Jesus is both a privilege and a responsibility. By relying on the Holy Spirit, engaging in meaningful conversations, and approaching evangelism with gratitude and nuance, believers can bridge the gap between the positive perception of Jesus and the less favorable view of Christianity. Through prayer, understanding, and practical application, the church can fulfill its mission to make disciples of all nations.

This Sunday, Terrence Turman kicked off a 3-week series “How to be a Witness”. In Acts 1:7-8 and Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commands us to make disciples and be witnesses of His teachings. Living a life dedicated to Christ can be uncomfortable and challenging with an internal war between the call of Christ and the call of personal desires, emotions, and the pursuit of a comfortable life. But, through prayer and reliance on the Holy Spirit, you can receive the strength and guidance to empower you in Christ’s mission to share the gospel. We have been strategically placed to be a light in the darkness and guide others toward Jesus. Will you seize everyday opportunities to share your faith right where you are?

Physical Health Made Simple Your challenge this summer is to get in shape spiritually, mentally, and physically. Check back on July 23rd for the second podcast on Soul Care Made Simple.   Want to learn more about the Summer 60 Challenge? Visit, https://necchurch.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2336562.

This weekend, Jon Weece from Southland Christian Church in Lexington joined us as a guest speaker for Father’s Day. His focus was that Godly men have their priorities in alignment with God’s priorities. He listed 6 ways men are biblically called to engage: 1. Grow by crucifying our emotions and appetites. 2. Provide for others. 3. Protect the people that matter to them. 4. Lead with character. 5. We restore by bringing life. 6. Stay focused and be determined to avoid distraction. What can you do to encourage men around you to help align their priorities with God?

In this message, we welcome Professor Jamey Gorman to teach about the importance of church unity. Understanding our history allows us to make better decisions going forward. Unity is one of our vision targets as a church, and we are working on supporting other churches also so that more may know the name of Jesus

Don’t you love the book of James? It’s filled with challenges and wisdom. It’s raw, real, and more direct than any other book in the Bible and it’s even more compelling when we learn about the man who wrote it. James, the younger brother of Jesus, only experienced conversion after he saw his risen Brother. His conversion is one of the biggest proofs of the resurrection of Jesus. James later became the leader of the early Christian church, a writer, and ultimately was martyred for his faith. More than any other writer, James leans directly into Jesus’ teaching and challenges each of us to put our faith into action. How did the son of a poor carpenter become so brilliant? … Because he became a slave to Jesus. May we all have faith like James. 1:19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God.[f] Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? You’re challenge today is – You have heard from James- now go do!

 “Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” - Amos 5:24 Want to know God’s opinions on social justice? Look no further than the book of Amos. It’s a harsh book full of warning. God is just. And He links the sins of injustice and oppression with idolatry. This prophetic book is jam-packed with judgments and pleas for Israel, Judah, and the surrounding nations. But, even despite the coming judgment for these unrepentant people, God will remain faithful in the end.

This weekend, we celebrated what God has done over the past 10 Years of Love the ‘Ville!   Love The ‘Ville isn’t just a motto – it’s a movement. To Love the ‘Ville means to unleash God’s love into every area of our lives. We started by asking our neighbors, “How can we help?” one Sunday morning, and it has grown into a year-round movement of loving our schools, city, and world!

Yesterday, Tyler wrapped up our Roots to Branches message series sharing Jesus’ radical views on family undermining traditional and progressive views. No matter where you came from, or what your family looks like… your family's pain does not define your future. If you just choose to believe there is a big family here to hold you up! The Good News is that the blood of Jesus covers many sins. We are stuck together. Together, we are the family of God. We hope this challenging series has impacted you personally to reflect on your blessings, acknowledge past hurts, the power of praying over your family, and embrace the spiritual tool of forgiveness and selflessness. And most importantly to embrace your future forever family of God - your church.

This weekend, Terrence gave us the second of two spiritual tools to unleash the power of God in our families. Living a selfless life. This is the 2nd key to unlocking generational change in our family through God’s power. So, how do you practice this? Gratitude, humility, and intentionality. You are a better person and a better Christian, when your life is aiming at the harder and more costly things of God.

The last two weeks, we’ve focused on the past - both brokenness and blessings. It’s vital for us to learn and honor the blessings of the past, but also to redeem the brokenness that was handed down to us. This weekend, we moved from past to present, and Tyler gave us the first of two spiritual tools to unleash the power of God in our families. Forgiveness. We don’t earn forgiveness by forgiving others, we prove we’re forgiven when we forgive others. Christian forgiveness is a loving gift of unearned grace. It does not circumvent social justice or restorative discipline. And it does not destroy the sinner, but rather it seeks to heal and convert the sinner. The forgiveness of Jesus is better. Before we come to Jesus with a broken heart, fall on our knees and beg, or offer restitution… He’s already paid the debt. In the middle of our sins, Jesus loves us so much that he has already done the work to forgive us before we ask for it. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. - 1 Peter 4:8 Family forgiveness is hard, but it’s essential. And by the power of Christ in you, you can forgive.

On Sunday, Tomara taught on Generational Blessings; part of our Roots to Branches message series. Real blessings draw us back to God. She asked us to look back in our lives and find nuggets of blessings and reminded us that we have been blessed to be a blessing. We are to move into the world from blessing, not for blessing. So, how have God and your parents blessed you? Your challenge this week is the 3 Blessing Exercise. Each day this week, take time to name what we are thankful for. Think about the brokenness in your life and name it. Ask God to turn this brokenness into blessing. The brokenness I was given was ______ but by the power of Jesus, I want to bring ______.

This weekend, Tyler continued in our series Roots to Branches talking about Family Relationships and focusing on Generational Brokenness. Family relationships are powerful and have a lasting impact and demand on us. One of the main points of this weekend is that we cannot overestimate the impact your family of origin has had on who you are. We all have things from our family of origin that can be negative. We also know that we can be the ones to break those cycles with the power of God.

This past Sunday, we welcomed Mark Moore here from Christ Church of the Valley in Arizona to launch our series Roots to Branches where we will dig into developing healthier family relationships. Marked focused on wisdom through the example of Solomon, the wisest man in the world. In Solomon’s story, we see that parenting and relationship failures happen when we stray from God.   Wisdom is not what you know, it’s what you model.   Mark challenged us to read Proverbs this month and to point out the top 10 Proverbs that you can work on with your family or in your home. Take a moment today to read the Proverbs Resources (https://shorturl.at/CKZ05) that Mark shared and reflect on what you are modeling in your family.

We loved celebrating our risen savior here at Northeast with you! At Easter, we remember the core of our faith and why we have hope. Because He rose, we have forgiveness of sins, a clear purpose for our lives, and freedom from the fear of death. “He is risen - and so shall we be!”

Today, we wrap up our message series, A Journey into Captivity—A Study of Galatians. Today's message centers on preservation. Paul reminds us to stay true to Jesus' teaching and not be swayed by others' attempts to add to it or change it. False teaching puts free people back in chains, and Paul points us back to the truth. Let's be a church that stays true to the gospel and helps others find freedom in Jesus, in spite of a current culture that encourages the deconstruction of faith.